Ways to Spread Kindness

KINDNESS COUNTS

Kind kids. Parents can likely agree this is a top characteristic we want our children to possess. Yes, honesty, integrity, generosity, courage, resilience (the list could go on for ages) are all important characteristics too. But there is something about kindness ... it leaves a lasting impression and sticks with us, sometimes for years. And I don’t know about you, but I think the world needs a lot more of it. Being kind starts at home though. Kindness may be a natural tendency for some children, but it still has to be modeled and taught. Parents, teachers and caregivers have daily opportunities to foster, develop and strengthen children’s kindness skills over time. Check out our ABCs below to find new ideas for your family to start spreading kindness!

ATeach your children to acknowledge people you encounter in everyday life. For neighbors or workers, such as grocery cashiers, recycling or trash collectors or drive-thru workers, a simple “Hi, how are you?” or “Thank you!” goes a long way. B Make blessing bags for the homeless. A blessing bag consists of useful items, such as a bottle of water and granola bar, socks, lip balm, sunscreen, toothbrush and toothpaste. These can be kept in the car in case you run across someone while you’re out and about, or you can call a local homeless shelter to see whether they need bags. C Overland Park mom Nichole Fox has two children (soon to be three) and shares a super fun idea: “We attached kindness notes to candy canes and hung them on car handles. My son and his friends loved this, as they felt like they were on a secret mission trying not to get caught!” D Think daily acts of kindness. Catie Penrose, an Overland Park mom of three, says, “Holding the door open for others, picking up trash in parks, letting others go first and helping little ones on the playground are some of the simple, daily ways we try to spread kindness.” E Encourage someone. Chalk the sidewalk in your neighborhood or someone’s driveway with fun pictures and joyful words. F Buy flowers and randomly deliver to someone’s doorstep or buy a bouquet of flowers and hand out single stems at the grocery store as people leave. G Give a gift card to someone unexpectedly. H Help out without being asked. I Invite a neighbor over for dinner. J “On rainy days, we bake ‘just because’ treats together. We drive around, and the boys get to deliver their plate plus give a quick hello to their friends. It’s a simple way to spread a little love and joy!” shares Overland Park mom of three Catelin Corn. K Check out KindCraft.org if you are interested in learning about ways you can serve as a family or fun ways to incorporate kindness into your life. Courtney Smith, cofounder and president of KindCraft, as well as mom of two children, shares, “KindCraft offers families an opportunity to serve together once a month. We try to offer a wide variety of opportunities, including assembling blessing bags for the homeless, making happy kits for hospitalized children and painting Kindness Pavers for local nursing homes. We also offer Kindness Cards that can be used to perform small acts of kindness, such as baking treats for the fire department or donating toys to a charity.”

LHost a lemonade stand and don’t charge, or if you do, donate the money to a charity that has value to your children. M “When we learn of a friend going through a tough time, we cook a meal for them. While cooking, we talk about how preparing a meal for someone can remind them of the support they have in our community,” says Catie. N Leave simple notes of kindness on a mirror, car or inside library books. O Open the door for others. P Paint or color pictures to put in the mail to friends or family. Who doesn’t love getting something besides a bill in the mail?! Q Tape quarters to a vending machine or fill the carts at Aldi. R Rake leaves for a neighbor or elderly person. Paint rocks and leave on a trail. Clean up a park and recycle what you can.

SSmile!

TDeliver treats to your local fire or police department. U “Understanding creates kindness ... I think we initiate kindness in our home by having open, honest, conversations about all things, including race, homelessness, people who are differently abled, etc. No topic is off limits,” says Skyler Srack, Shawnee mom of three. V Volunteer at Harvesters or Giving the Basics. W Wash the car or water plants for someone. Randomly wave at people. X X marks the spot! Hide a small treasure item for a younger neighbor or friend and have them find it using a treasure map. Y Do yard work for a neighbor. This could include pulling weeds, planting flowers, trimming bushes or mowing the grass. Z Zoom with a family member or friend.

Whether you have a few minutes, a few hours, once a month or once a week, you are sure to find one idea listed here to begin incorporating into teaching your children about kindness. “We want kids to know they can make a difference in the lives of others just by spreading kindness and love,” Smith says. “You never know what someone else is experiencing, and your one small act of kindness could really turn their day around.” Colleen Conneally, Lenexa mom of three, drives this point home, saying, “Kindness is free. It doesn’t cost you anything to be kind, and both parties end up gaining something.” So get out there and be kind people!

What is your family’s favorite way to spread kindness?

• Donating gently used items • Volunteering • Paying for someone in line behind you • Leaving surprise notes • Helping out a neighbor

Julie Collett writes from Overland Park where their family strives to show kindness to others. She’s looking forward to adding more random acts of kindness to their lives and cannot wait to try the candy cane idea at Christmas!

HOW TO FOSTER independent play

As parents, we strive to do what’s

best for our children. We find creative ways to help our kids tolerate vegetables, establish predictable bedtime routines and make sure they say please and thank you. Sometimes, fostering independence, particularly in play, can seem like just one more to-do that falls by the wayside. But the benefits for both parent and child are so pronounced, one could argue independent play should be up there at the top of every mom and dad’s agenda. The good news? Building this skillset is not so much about doing more for our kids but, rather, doing less. Here are some major dos and don’ts of fostering independent play.

DO: Give Your Child the Time to Be Creative DON’T: Overschedule Your Child’s Day with Extracurricular Activities

Basketball, gymnastics and Math Counts—oh, my! With so many fabulous extracurriculars vying for our children’s attention—along with our deep-seated desire to see them find their talents and build them early—we can easily overschedule our days and weeks. Add siblings to the mix and you have a recipe for exhausted, crabby and overstimulated children and parents. All too often, sports, music and other activities are pushed as purely positive experiences. But as a family, intentionally evaluate the cost that comes with each one. Hint: It’s not just financial! Every evening practice that takes away time from a family dinner or the mounting stress of shuffling from one extracurricular to the next can pile on a family, crushing everyone with anxiety and exhaustion. But how will a child develop his prodigy skill set, you may wonder? And what about socialization? Parents must remember that gifts and talents oftentimes showcase themselves as a result of time that a child has to cultivate a skill, not just because he has a 30-minute weekly session. Likewise, although friendships can sprout through meeting in a class, they flourish organically when kids have free time to spend together.

DO: Give Your Child Tools for How to Spend Free Time DON’T: Default to Screen Time with Every Plight of Boredom

Congrats! You are no longer running the rat race. You have struck a healthy balance of structured activities and free time. But now you face a new challenge. Every time your children are bored, they follow you around with endless complaints: “Mom! There’s nothing to do!” Be vigilant to give them tools before technology. Because of the accessibility of screens, whether it be smart phones, tablets or TVs, kids have an endless stream of digital saccharine at their disposal. Pacifying boredom on a device is no substitute for the fabulous connections that take place when kids push through that boredom. A 2018 National Institutes for Health study found that children who spent more than two hours a day on screens had poorer verbal and thinking skills than those who didn’t, and more than seven hours of screen time a day went so far as to thin the brain’s cortex (the brain’s reasoning and critical thinking hub). So what’s a parent to do? Look to use media time in a way that supports your family values. Here are some examples: 1) Focus on shared screen time that builds memories together (think family movie nights) instead of isolated usage. 2) Establish screen-free zones, like bedrooms or other solitary places, and screen-free times such as meals, short car rides and bedtime. Also, take periodic screen fasts as a family, perhaps once a week, one week a month or even a month each year to recalibrate everyone’s habits. 3) Practice what you preach. Don’t expect of your children what you aren’t willing to do yourself. Put timers on your devices to limit excessive usage and put your phone away outside of designated times to avoid mindless scrolling. 4) Be choosy. There are far too many good options out there to waste time with bad ones. Resources like Common Sense

Media and Plugged In give parents reviews about apps, games, movies and TV show content so they can make informed decisions about what’s acceptable and what’s not. 5) Use tech as a tool instead of a timewaster. Technology is amoral—it’s all in how you use it. Focus on using it to create and do things instead of using it to idly watch others do things. Invest in a stop-motion kit to make Claymation or Lego movies or give your kids your outdated camcorder devices, so they can produce their own backyard film.

DO: Allow a Mess Every Once in a While DON’T: Hyper-Regulate How Creative Play Pans Out

My artistically-inclined firstborn has never enjoyed premade art kits. Why? Because they tell him exactly what to do and don’t leave license for creativity, he tells me. I totally get it. A lot of what falls under the guise of arts and crafts these days is more a copy-and-paste exercise than free-flowing practice. Kids need to be able to enjoy the process as much as the product, and by doing so, they gain valuable skills in decision making and trouble shooting. Likewise, know that with creativity comes a little mess and learn to be okay with it. Reserve a set of stained clothes as a uniform for creative play. Block off a quadrant of the backyard for making mud puddles and mud pies. Let kids build forts in the backyard and stay outside so long that they freckle. Time outdoors, freedom to make a mess and few limits in how they play creatively all go a long way in developing children who not only play independently but also grow in general self-sufficiency.

DO: Make Chores a Game DON’T: Avoid Responsibility in the Name of Fun

Some of Westport resident McKenzie Davidson’s favorite childhood memories include painting her house, sans paint. Only a bucket of water and a clean paintbrush were necessary.

“All I really did was get the siding wet,” Davidson recalls. “But it felt like I was doing something really important, and it kept me busy for a very long time!” She and her husband, Brad, now work in real estate, flipping old homes. Coincidence or not— who’s to say?

Mary Poppins isn’t the only one who can make cleaning a game. Kids can plant their own garden row and then “dig for buried treasure” (pick root vegetables) when it’s harvest time. Or encourage your children who are middle school age or older to rearrange their rooms and then walk the family through the completed space as though they were hosting an HGTV show. In the process, everything gets cleaned up, and they feel empowered about their newly arranged digs.

Olathe mom and freelancer Lauren Greenlee’s favorite forms of independent play as a child were making her own form of the Dewey Decimal System for her growing collection of books and developing her professional organizing skills by cleaning her messy friends’ rooms.

TWO WILDLIFE FAMILY GETAWAYS

Autumn is one of our favorite times to enjoy weekend getaways with the family. Tourist traffic is down, and it’s nice to take a break from work and school. Animal experiences are a favorite for visitors of all ages, and these getaways are great for all generations to enjoy making memories together.

Timbavati Wildlife Park Wisconsin Dells

2220 Wisconsin Dells Pkwy., Wisconsin Dells, WI, 608.253.2391

Timbavati Wildlife Park is a truly one-ofa-kind animal park. Visitors may explore the park May through November or participate in a behind-the-scenes VIP tour for families (VIP tours available year-round). When the park is open to visitors during the regular season, guests may watch educational wildlife presentations throughout the day. We took at VIP tour and experienced all the park has to offer, including many hands-on experiences with animals. For future zookeepers and animal lovers, this is an unbeatable experience.

Our tour began with a visit to the lemurs. The park is home to two black and white ruff lemurs from Madagascar. They were playful animals, climbing and playing on all four paws. We also saw the howler monkeys from Central and South America. These active animals were a delight to watch.

Next, we visited the three lioness sisters, all about 9 years old and weighing approximately 250 pounds. We saw a Carpathian lynx from Siberia, the largest of the lynx species, and a Canadian lynx known for its sharp hearing that can detect prey under the snow.

After that, we paid a visit to the giraffes, the stars of the show. The park is home to one reticulated giraffe and two Masai giraffes. We were able to feed carrots to these charming animals. Their 18-inch-long blue tongues (which protect them from sun blisters) lapped up the treats. These friendly giraffes won our hearts! My girls were begging to come visit them again.

We also saw red pandas, penguins, rhinos, prairie dogs and cougars. Of the big cats, the girls especially enjoyed watching two beautiful Bengal tigers.

After visiting the animals on exhibit, we headed to the nurseries, buildings that are home to many animals we were able to meet up close. We saw ball python, two blue and gold macaws, pygmy hedgehogs from Europe, flamingoes (who left quite an impression with their distinctive sounds), an African spurred tortoise, a blue duiker named Leif, and a redbreasted cockatoo. We also saw Egyptian fruit bats, straw-colored fruit bats, a Nile monitor, cotton top tamarins and a two-toed sloth named Lulu. Then, the girls were given the chance to pet the lesser tamandua anteater with

a 15-inch-long tongue. The anteater eats 10,000-20,000 ants a day, so the park feeds her protein shakes to maintain her diet. The girls were also fascinated by the year-old North American porcupine named Quinn, and we learned that despite what cartoons always show, they do not shoot their quills for defense. We also saw a Fennec fox, North American skunk, kookaburra, owl monkeys, ringtail lemurs, marmosets, red-handed tamarins and alpacas. In the nursery, we were able to touch and pet the red-footed tortoise. Then, for the highlight of the visit to the nursery, we each had the opportunity to hold Poppy, a 7-month-old joey kangaroo!

The grand finale of the VIP tour was a chance to feed dozens of colorful parakeets!

The tour was informative and educational, and the hands-on experiences provided an unforgettable memory the entire family loved.

On our visit to Wisconsin Dells, we also made a point to see the Dells themselves. The Dells Boat Tours (DellsBoats.com/ upper-dells-tours/) excursion of the Upper Dells was one of the most fun tourist boat rides we have ever experienced. The guides share the history of the area and take you to see Witches Gulch, Standing Rock and other beautiful sites along the river. The first shore landing, Witches Gulch, was my favorite. Visitors journey along a beautiful green walk through a narrow canyon carved by wind and water. The rocks are covered in ferns, and the narrow passages and chambers are naturally cool year-round. The second stop is Stand Rock, where we walked to the base of the area’s best-known pillar of sandstone. It was made famous as the site of the first stop-action photo, when photographer H. H. Bennett took a photo of his son jumping onto Stand Rock in 1886. Boat tour guests watch as a trained dog makes the famous leap from cliff face to Stand Rock and back again.

Tip: Wisconsin Dells is the “Waterpark Capital of the World” with many great waterparks to enjoy as a family, including indoor resorts that offer family lodging and are open year-round. Search “Wisconsin Dells” for waterpark tips and be sure to check Groupon for deals.

Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium

500 W. Sunshine St., Springfield, MO, 888.222.6060. Admission charged.

Weekend getaways to Springfield, MO, are an easy family overnight or even day trip for the ambitious. We love visiting Wonders of Wildlife. This fantastic natural history museum and aquarium is a phenomenal attraction and requires most of a day to visit and enjoy thoroughly.

Wonders of Wildlife bills itself as the “largest, most immersive fish and wildlife attraction in the world!” The attraction was created by Bass Pro founder Johnny Morris. His love for nature is contagious, and his passion comes across in every aspect of this attraction.

The museum includes first a natural history museum with breathtaking exhibits showcasing the history of the Ozark region, Native American heritage, the Lewis and Clark Expedition and wildlife from around the world. From sheep to bears, deer to antelope ... we saw thousands of animals. The centerpiece of this half of the museum is the Great African Hall with beautiful displays showcasing African animals. The lighting and sounds of the hall transform from day to night while you are there, creating the feeling that you are among the elephants, zebras and giraffes on the African tundra.

I recommend spending the morning in the natural history portion, then taking a lunch break at Fish Tales, a lunch spot for the museum, or heading to a restaurant within Bass Pro shops or in the neighborhood. After a midday meal, return to visit the aquarium. We ate at Fish Tales on our visit, enjoying pizza and sandwiches.

The aquarium is truly spectacular. This is unlike any aquarium we have ever visited. The displays include not only aquariums, but swamp exhibits, fishing exhibits and history exhibits celebrating the history of fishing, the sport of fishing and even the passion America’s presidents have held for the sport.

The 1.5-million-gallon aquarium adventure features 35,000 live fish, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and birds. We loved the shark exhibit, we were transported to the bayou in the swamp exhibit, and the stingray exhibit is the best we have ever experienced. My girls enjoyed seeing sloths, bears, alligators, flamingoes, otters and countless sea creatures, including octopus, sharks, clown fish, rays, jellyfish and other fish from around the world. The stingray touch pool, the finale of the attraction, is truly world-class.

Tip: For more inspiration for this getaway, search “Adventures for the Family in the Ozarks” on KCParent.com.

Kristina Light’s girls love animal encounters! Search “animal adventures” on KCParent.com for even more local ideas.

20 FREE (and Cheap)

Fall Fun Experiences to Enjoy in KC

Enjoy the best of autumn in KC with these fun-filled free and cheap ideas!

1. Go apple picking. Set a budget of up to $5/ person, which is easy to do at the u-pick price!

2. Visit Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm and discover what life was like in the mid-1800s on the Kansas prairie.

3. Take photos in huge fields of sunflowers at Russell Sunflower Patch or Grinter Farms.

4. Walk the Country Club Plaza and admire the art and fountains.

5. Try pumpkin spice goodies at your favorite restaurant.

6. Stroll through a local farmers market and find one new food to try.

7. Take a tour of Watkins Woolen Mill Historic Site, the only 19th-century textile mill in the United

States with its original machinery still intact.

8. Enjoy autumn wildflowers and play among the trees at the Anita Gorman Discovery

Center, a free nature center near the Country

Club Plaza.

9. Ride the KC Streetcar and visit Union Station, play chess on the roof at the Central Library, and taste test a yummy treat at City Market. 10. Learn about the Santa Fe Trail at Cave Springs

Nature Center.

11. Explore a Kansas City area waterfall. Search waterfalls on KCParent.com.

12. Bring binoculars for bird watching at Burroughs

Audubon Nature Center.

13. Play “I Spy” at Lakeside Nature Center.

14. Marvel at modern art at the Nerman Museum, where admission is free.

15. Discover a masterpiece and take a photo with the giant spider at the free Kemper Museum of

Contemporary Art.

16. Stroll Downtown Lee’s Summit and visit the

Historical Society Museum housed in an old depot.

17. Discover Kansas’ most famous residents through the artwork at Legends Outlets.

18. Bike Trolley Trail.

19. Go roller skating. Most local rinks offer a discounted family night.

20. Visit a new library. Kansas City is rich with exciting local libraries. Try one beyond your neighborhood location.

SEPTEMBER festivals

ACROSS KANSAS CITY

KC Zoo Run for Koalas

Lee’s Summit Oktoberfest Lenexa Spinach Festival SantaCaliGon Sept. 3-6 at Historic Independence Square. SantaCaliGon Days Festival is a nonstop celebration of the city of Independence, the starting point of the westward expansion. Live music, carnival rides, vendors and family fun are all part of the tradition. SantaCaliGon.com

Kansas State Fair Sept. 10-19 at Kansas State Fairgrounds, 2000 N. Poplar St., Hutchinson. More than 1,000 commercial vendor locations and close to 30,000 entries in various competitive exhibit departments. KansasStateFair.com

Lenexa Spinach Festival Sept. 11 at Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park. The Lenexa Spinach Festival is packed with food, music, entertainment, hands-on activities and arts and antique vendors. Experience the world’s largest spinach salad, learn about our history or submit your favorite dish to our recipe contest. Lenexa.com

Friends of Shawnee Town Arts & Crafts Fair & Fall

Festival Sept. 18 at Shawnee Town 1929. Shop more than 130 vendors showcasing their handmade, homemade and repurposed items. There will be several food vendors on site to meet the needs of your taste buds! ShawneeTown.org

KC Zoo Run for Koalas Sept. 18 at Kansas City Zoo. The Kansas City Zoo Run 2021 is the Run for Koalas. All participants receive a custom-designed featured species GO-EX Koala t-shirt, custom koala finisher’s medal and free race-day entry into the zoo that’s valid any day through the end of 2021.

Lee’s Summit Oktoberfest Sept. 24-26 at Downtown Lee’s Summit. Enjoy Kids Street, arts and crafts, German meals, beer and brat tents, the biergarten, carnival, the Sportzelt, live entertainment, contests, a rootbiergarten, home brew tasting, German dancers and much more. There’s no cost to attend the festival. LSOktoberfest.com

Ciderfest Sept. 25-26, Oct. 2-3 at Louisburg Cider Mill. For two exciting weekends every autumn, Louisburg Cider Mill brings you some good old-fashioned apple cider fun. Activities include pony rides, inflatable slide, cider and donut-making and craft booths. LouisburgCiderMill.com/ciderfest

Grand Festival of Chez les Canses Sept. 25 at Fort Osage, 107 Osage St., Sibley, MO. Celebrate the history of early French explorers and adventurers, as interpreters demonstrate the arts, crafts and customs of early European explorers who traveled to the region in the 1700s. MakeYourDayHere.com